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Unread 01/10/2017, 03:18 PM   #26
crawlerman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgln View Post
Yes, why not ground the tank??
Think of it as the bird on the wire. Perfectly safe unless that bird is grounded. Once you complete the circuit then the current is passing through everything.


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Unread 01/10/2017, 03:22 PM   #27
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I built a house and had a dedicated circuit on a GFCI for my tank. The first week it tripped 3 times shutting it down. I have the same problem with the ones in my kitchen. Seems like every time I have to plug something in I have to reset the GFCI. I got rid of the GFCI on my aquarium. Now I'm thinking that was a mistake. Is it possible that the builder just used poor quality GFCI receptacles? I might try the external one for everything that is submerged.


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Unread 01/10/2017, 03:30 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crawlerman View Post
Think of it as the bird on the wire. Perfectly safe unless that bird is grounded. Once you complete the circuit then the current is passing through everything.
But my understanding is if you give it a better path to ground than your body (assuming you don't have one arm in the tank and are standing barefoot in a puddle of water leading to ground) it will choose that path rather than your body. Take that away and chance now your body is the best path to ground.


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Unread 01/10/2017, 03:48 PM   #29
heathlindner25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgln View Post
But my understanding is if you give it a better path to ground than your body (assuming you don't have one arm in the tank and are standing barefoot in a puddle of water leading to ground) it will choose that path rather than your body. Take that away and chance now your body is the best path to ground.
There is always going to be a small amount of current in our systems, if you use a ground probe all the inhabitants will feel the voltage.


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Unread 01/10/2017, 04:23 PM   #30
jgln
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Originally Posted by heathlindner25 View Post
There is always going to be a small amount of current in our systems, if you use a ground probe all the inhabitants will feel the voltage.
So one answer I got was it is a danger to me and you say a danger to the fish. Both are legit reasons I suppose but your explanation seems logical.


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Unread 01/10/2017, 04:39 PM   #31
heathlindner25
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Alway use a GFCI receptacle, no ground probe.


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Unread 01/10/2017, 06:34 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jgln View Post
But my understanding is if you give it a better path to ground than your body (assuming you don't have one arm in the tank and are standing barefoot in a puddle of water leading to ground) it will choose that path rather than your body. Take that away and chance now your body is the best path to ground.
Electricity does not only tank the "path of least resistance" as commonly believed.. It takes ALL paths it can.

The only real "benefit" to a ground probe (with gfci) is that it will trip the GFCI the instant a problem develops in the tank vs that fault potentially being there just waiting until you become its path to ground (protected by the GFCI though still but GFCIs do fail so its best that you aren't the one "testing" if it is or not).
The "downside" to that "benefit" is that the tank may shut down when you aren't home to do anything about it for a while..

If that downside is worth the benefit then by all means use a ground probe (with a gfci)

Its also a good idea to split your equipment across 2 GFCI devices so that in the event one does trip the whole tank isn't taken down/shut off..

Never go "cheap" on a GFCI device and it should do just fine for the life of the tank..

But as stated.. Electricity can't flow without a path to do so.. Create a path and with your typical GFCI device up to 4 or 5mA of current can be flowing in/through the tank at all times.. any more than that and the GFCI trips..

I've had ground probes on tanks.. I've also had tanks (my last 2) that didn't and never had an issue/problem that I could contribute to it or not having it..
But I ALWAYS have GFCI protection.. ALWAYS..


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Unread 01/12/2017, 09:08 AM   #33
jgln
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[QUOTE=mcgyvr;24903608]
Its also a good idea to split your equipment across 2 GFCI devices so that in the event one does trip the whole tank isn't taken down/shut off..

QUOTE]

Yes I have 2 GFCI splitting my circulation pumps. I have had issues as you describe in that past where the whole tank shuts down due to one faulty pump so I started using the 2 long ago. That way there is some water circulation at least until I get home or resolve the issue.

I have been using the ground probe probably going on 5+ years and the fish never seemed stressed even when pumps have shorted and tripped the GFCI so for now it is going to stay in.

Thank you.


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Unread 01/12/2017, 09:11 AM   #34
alcimedes
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Oh, if you do get a GFI outlet, make sure it's one that doesn't have to be manually reset after a power outage. Apparently that's VERY common, and quite a few people have come home to find dead tanks after a brief power blip early in the day tripped the GFI's.


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Unread 01/12/2017, 09:29 AM   #35
jgln
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Originally Posted by alcimedes View Post
Oh, if you do get a GFI outlet, make sure it's one that doesn't have to be manually reset after a power outage. Apparently that's VERY common, and quite a few people have come home to find dead tanks after a brief power blip early in the day tripped the GFI's.
Well....I recently installed an 8k home generator in which those outlets are powered. Aside from often losing power where I live and having a lot of frozen food from the garden I didn't want to go to waste, the tank was a good part of the deciding factor to get a generator. It is not a whole home generator (you really don't need all that) but it covers the necessities during a power outage.

.....oh and of course the TV is on a protected circuit!! lol


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Unread 01/16/2017, 04:33 AM   #36
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@all

Thanks for all of the support and advises, my issue got resolved, it was found out that if I connect one equipment at a time, there was no current, but multiple equipment and the shock felt terrible.

On further investigation it was found out that the main switch board power outlet had got no grounding, somehow that went bad. After fixing that issue, the current problem was totally gone.

Again after some time, a very mild shock was felt in the water and this time the culprit was my Jebao CP 40 wave maker, after stopping it, till now no current felt. Its just 3 months old and I bought it for 10500 INR, I am skeptical if I am going to get warranty for it but lets hope for the best I suppose.




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Unread 01/16/2017, 05:49 AM   #37
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good to know problem resolved.
heaters and powerheads are the most common items for such problems.
also you are dealing with 220v and 60 hz in India which is much worse in shocking you and grabbing you than 110v 50 hz. glad you got it fixed.


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Unread 01/16/2017, 06:07 AM   #38
niladride
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^

Yes I am glad too to find out the issue and get it fixed.

Another headache is on the way to get the wave maker fixed. We have no Jebao service center in India.


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Unread 04/14/2019, 08:43 PM   #39
paronaram
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Originally Posted by ajm83 View Post
Check your heaters for cracks.
I know it's an old post, but Thank you !!!
Got very bad electric shock this morning, checked all read this post, and found the problem on Aqueon ProHeater 200W. 2" crack on the bottom
This is second time Aqueon heater failed bad. Fist time I boiled my FW setup, and now this.


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Unread 07/14/2019, 07:25 PM   #40
penske3939
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Ditto, thank you.
I found this thread after I got a significant shock today from the same type of Aqueon pro 200w heater. Is there heaters out there that will not fail in this manner?


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Unread 07/15/2019, 10:14 AM   #41
mcgyvr
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Originally Posted by penske3939 View Post
Ditto, thank you.
I found this thread after I got a significant shock today from the same type of Aqueon pro 200w heater. Is there heaters out there that will not fail in this manner?
No. There is basically no heater that has never failed in some way or another..
Thats why you always follow rules like
1-ALL line powered (direct wall plug) equipment MUST be on a GFCI/RCD circuit.
2-Never full submerge a heater even if its rated to be "fully submersible" as the manufacturers joint between the outer glass and the dials,etc... can/will fail..
3-Always use an external temperature controller like a Ranco/Inkbird,etc... so that when the heaters internal thermostat fails (and they all do eventually) that the external controller keeps the tank from cooking..


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Unread 07/16/2019, 06:37 PM   #42
penske3939
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Interesting. I always was on the look out for #3, #2 is new information to me.
As for #1, I believe the concern was more like the light falling into the tank situation versus the heater just sending electricity into the water. This was surprising level of quality/design gap given the failure condition. Clearly I need to always address this item.
I am looking at having individual GFCI external plugs for each device. Therefore, it something is causing the problem only that one shuts off and the remaining items continue. Is that a good strategy?


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Unread 07/18/2019, 10:26 PM   #43
bnumair
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You can have a 4 outlet with 1 gfi and 1 slave receptacle.
You can plug 1 item on the gfi and 3 that really dont matter much if it trips. Or you can go more expensive route and have a dedicated gfi for each item.
Every gfi receptacle will have 2 outlets.


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Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE
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Unread 07/19/2019, 07:19 AM   #44
Oldreeferman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crawlerman View Post
I built a house and had a dedicated circuit on a GFCI for my tank. The first week it tripped 3 times shutting it down. I have the same problem with the ones in my kitchen. Seems like every time I have to plug something in I have to reset the GFCI. I got rid of the GFCI on my aquarium. Now I'm thinking that was a mistake. Is it possible that the builder just used poor quality GFCI receptacles? I might try the external one for everything that is submerged.


Crawlwerman im a contractor that does electrical & Plumming on homes so have exp with ground fault interupters (GFIs), they have 2 ports one is line which is the power feed which will be 15 or 20 amp capacity & load the other outlets that are now protected by the GFI. What your experiencing if its tripping constantly is one of 2 issues. First the load is greater then the max capacity of the GFI which happens a lot with 15 amp circuits. Hopefully its a 20 amp tho & if so replace it as it may be faulty. Id also recommend replacing the GFI if its a 15 amp also for same reason as they are cheap verses a GFI breaker in the service box which is expensive, however if replacing does not fix the issue then the next step is to see just what exactly IS on this circuit (add up all appliances amps) & then you will know if its overloaded. When i was wiring homes id implement several GFIs circuits in the kitchen & its own GFI in ea. bathroom to minamize the load to avoid this issue. One does not know what the homeowner may add to the kitchen. Many builders go cheap & use 1 15 amp for an entire kitchen even just 1 20 amp is borderline due to the exisiing new appliances we all now have such as overhead microwaves, large refrigerators, countertop appliances etc.....If its a case of an overload have the worst offenders outlet wired up on its own dedicated circuit that will fix the issue access now tho will be a factor. Happy amp hunting!


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Unread 07/23/2019, 01:49 PM   #45
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Like Mcgyvr, I myself have been in the hobby for a long time (not quite as long) and have never had a GFCI false trip. What I do is run a backup battery on the GFCI external outlet and if it false trips then the battery backup runs the equipment until I can get to it. On the battery back up it's split into two strips: one strip for battery & one strip for direct outlet. In the winter I have a heater and powerhead on the battery strip & in the summer I have a powerhead only on the battery strip side.


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